The Convertible Envoy for South Africa could be changed from civil airliner to bomber within hours. The first two of seven airframes, 251 for the SAAF and ZS-AGA (c/n 39) for South African Airways, departed Britain to fly to South Africa on 4 July 1936. 251 was used by the Air Survey Flight as ZS-ALD before joining the SAAF in December 1937.

First flown on 26 June 1934, the Envoy prototype appeared at the SBAC trade show at Hendon just six days later. Behind it appears to be Hawker Hind G-ABMR, which is preserved today as "J9941" here at Hendon, but was a factory demonstrator.

The King's Flight became official in July 1936. After the abdication of Edward VIII later that year, this Envoy was ordered to replace aircraft privately owned by him, such as Dragon Rapide G-ADDD which wore a similar red and blue livery. Enlisted as L7270, the Envoy was operated by No 24 Sqn at Hendon, but the military serial was not applied until the outbreak of war. Print stamped 3 May 1939. L7270 used by Fairey Aviation from 1944. Aircraft sold to Sweden in 1946 as SE-ASN. Crashed at Visby on 6 July 1955. Photo by: Charles E Brown

The last of 52 Envoys built by Airspeed was the only one to serve in the Royal Navy. It was used by Admiral Percy Noble and wears his flag on the nose. Photo by: Harold Tomlin / Imperial War Museums

Photo taken the day it departed Oakland for Wheeler Field, Hawaii on the first leg of a flight to Australia. It disappeared without trace. It is speculated that it overshot Hawaii after more favourable winds than forecast. The captain, renowned Australian pilot Charles Ulm, claimed the Envoy would float for days, so did not carry a lifeboat. He perished with his two crew.

This special edition of the AS-6 Envoy was painted cream and red according to artwork. Photo from: Flight

Seen with a Ju 52 in front of the terminal at Johannesburg - Rand. Another shot of the two aircraft proves that this is ZS-AGA and the tie-up with the name General JW Janssens, although the second initial does not look like a W here. Photo from: DRISA

A new aircraft for the Johannesburg - Bloemfontein - Port Elizabeth route. Convertible to bomber. To SAAF in 1938. Photo from: DRISA

The sole Viceroy was a special edition of the AS.6 Envoy built for the London to Melbourne Air Race. Here it is having its compass swung. The pilot, Neville Stack, worked for Aircraft Exchange & Mart at Hanworth, mentioned on the nose. Stack and Sidney Turner only got as far as Athens and sued the manufacturer over the aeroplane's malfunctions. G-ACMU ended up in the Spanish Civil War. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

Photo dated from Ansett's Porterfield VH-UVH (background) still wearing its race number (25) from the December 1936 Brisbane-Adelaide air race. The Envoy was cancelled from the register in 1951 but may not have flown after1945.

This Envoy was built for the RAF as P5626 in late 1938. It was sold in April 1946 for civil use, latterly with Private Charter Ltd, and became the last surviving example of this light airliner and executive transport, being scrapped in May 1950.